#BTC52 #BlindDrams Tasting Notes

These are my tasting notes and results from the Blind Tasting Consortium's 52nd #BlindDrams evening.

These drams were picked by Paul @pswhisky.bsky.social

His theme was Jist Dae It - meaning just buy the bottles you think you might like!

Here are my tasting notes from #BTC52:

Dram 1

Appearance: very pale almost transparent, swirls cling as a thin line, which form tiny beads eventually falling as slow thin legs.

Nose: acetone, pear drops, orchard fruit, herbal meaty note in the distance

Palate: thick chewy arrival, very sweet:  golden syrup, stewed orchard fruit, lemon bonbons dusted in icing sugar, dry spicy ginger left on the tongue as the liquid disappears.

Finish: short and sweet with spicy ginger. 46% ABV, refill bourbon cask, scores a 2

Dram 2

Appearance: light gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, which form small beads which fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: huge ‘furry’ fruity notes: apricot, kiwi, peach, tinned fruit salad syrup, blackcurrant boiled sweets, liquorice and a hint of soap?

Palate: another lovely thick arrival, honey, tropical fruit, icing sugar and a gentle peppery spice. There’s some dried pineapple and coconut.

Finish: lingering sweetness, icing sugar and gentle spice. 50% ABV, bourbon cask, scores a 3

Dram 3

Appearance: bright gold in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line, bead up quickly and then fall as slow thick legs.

Nose: huge sherry notes, belaying the colour, dried fruit, prunes, dates and figs. A little meaty even?  There’s cinder toffee, a little milk chocolate and some orange zest.

Palate: sweet spicy arrival: honey, toffee and ginger spice. The dried fruit from the nose are back along with some stewed apple and drying icing sugar.

Finish: short and sweet, slight drying and full of sherried fruit. 50% ABV, refill sherry , scores a 3

Dram 4

Appearance: dots bronze in the glass, swirls cling as a thin line which immediately forms tiny beads. They eventually fall as slow thin oily legs.

Nose: another with sherry notes, this time a little more meaty, some dunnage funk and a little liquorice. There’s hedgerow berries maybe pointing to port or wine?

Palate: huge ABV kick from this one, berries and cherries along with burnt toffee and cinnamon spice. There’s cola cubes, walnuts, a little tropical fruit and some liquorice. Then it all turns dry and tannic. Very meaty, chewy even, interesting!

Finish: lingering oak, cola cubes and spices. 58% ABV, Oloroso or Port cask, scores a 3

Dram 5

Appearance: pale gold in the glass, swirls cling as thick line, bead up immediately and fall as slow thin legs.

Nose: huge sweet peat smoke, salinity and dried seaweed. There’s tropical fruit hints and a little peppery spice.

Palate: sweet chewy arrival, sweet peanuts, honey and some tropical fruit. Pineapple , mango and kiwi jump out followed by a gentle layer of smoke and some dry peppery spice.

Finish: lingering sweetness, gentle spice and a layer of smoke. 50% ABV, RF bourbon, Lagavulin?, scores a 3

Dram 1 was Benriach 2007 17yo Single Cask [PST]

Dram 2 was Daftmill 2011 Winter Batch

Dram 3 was Macallan Classic Cut 2022

Dram 4 was Kingsbarns Distillery Reserve (2020 Release)

Dram 5 was Ledaig Peallach 8yo [ChWh]

The overall scores from our 28 members were:

More information about the Blind Tasting Consortium and the scores for all of our tastings can be found here!